Why don't you Americans create another centre of power?

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Braznor
Why not? How about having another pillar of power in your society, instead of solely trusting the government? Perhaps a commission to uphold truth, openness in government affairs?

It could be elected and/or be composed of non political citizens entrusted with keeping the interests of public in mind.

Of course, the current establishment will never allow such a thing to happen. Too many people will have too many things to lose.

But it could actually work in America before anywhere in the world.

I think your country ought to be first to try this out ......... oh and get back to us with how well it works out for ya.

lol, I don't have to. It's screwed up as it is, nothing can make it worse

 

[Braznor]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

Perhaps, but its only made up one kind of people.

 

[Skitzer]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: Atreus21
The office of which you speak is the citizenry. We are responsible for our government.

 

[palehorse]

so wait, in response to having a government that has grown large and corrupt, your suggestion is that we create... a larger government!?

no thank you.

We already have a mechanism in place that is there to check the Federal Government's power -- the people.

imagine that.

 

[brandonb]

Originally posted by: palehorse74
so wait, in response to having a government that has grown large and corrupt, your suggestion is that we create... a larger government!?

no thank you.

We already have a mechanism in place that is there to check the Federal Government's power -- the people.

imagine that.

The people are as obsolete as the 2nd amendment is. Its a living breathing constitution.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: palehorse74
so wait, in response to having a government that has grown large and corrupt, your suggestion is that we create... a larger government!?

no thank you.

We already have a mechanism in place that is there to check the Federal Government's power -- the people.

imagine that.

The idea of "checking the government's power" is a non sequitor. We ARE the government, and the government is us. I'm proud of my giant bulwark against foreign and domestic threats, from the Taliban to our own extremist nutcases. More power? 50 years ago southern states were vehemently defending segregation just like 150 years ago they defended slavery. Now we have things like TX governor Rick Perry wanting to teach creationism in the college system.
The federal government has proven effective at protecting us, the people, from our state governments. Enough with the anti-government rhetoric.

 

[rchiu]

Originally posted by: Braznor
Why not? How about having another pillar of power in your society, instead of solely trusting the government? Perhaps a commission to uphold truth, openness in government affairs?

It could be elected and/or be composed of non political citizens entrusted with keeping the interests of public in mind.

Of course, the current establishment will never allow such a thing to happen. Too many people will have too many things to lose.

But it could actually work in America before anywhere in the world.

eh, haven't you heard of the three branches of the US government? That's designed exactly to not have one sole source of power and each branch can balance out the other. Plus people here do elect officials in different branches to certain degree. The US system is by no mean perfect, but it's one of the best from what I've seen, and I have lived in at least 5 different countries for extended period of time to know different systems.

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: broon
Basically you're suggesting creating a second government to keep the current one in check. And only allowing "smart" people to vote for the second one.

Yes. One elected in shorter terms and without a party system. Just made of smart, concerned citizens. Perhaps you can have higher grade exams for the top positions in this commission.

And we should have a poll tax to go along with it because if you aren't responsible enough to have a certain level of income then you have no business in government. While we're at it, basic land ownership is another sign of responsibility, so we should only have the landed gentry be able to vote in this. I can see absolutely nothing wrong with this what so ever.

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton

Originally posted by: palehorse74
so wait, in response to having a government that has grown large and corrupt, your suggestion is that we create... a larger government!?

no thank you.

We already have a mechanism in place that is there to check the Federal Government's power -- the people.

imagine that.

The idea of "checking the government's power" is a non sequitor. We ARE the government, and the government is us. I'm proud of my giant bulwark against foreign and domestic threats, from the Taliban to our own extremist nutcases. More power? 50 years ago southern states were vehemently defending segregation just like 150 years ago they defended slavery. Now we have things like TX governor Rick Perry wanting to teach creationism in the college system.
The federal government has proven effective at protecting us, the people, from our state governments. Enough with the anti-government rhetoric.

So the greatest threat to you, in the world, is a local people who wrap themselves up in creationism.

You're just peachy with patriot acts, foreign wars, deficits, the invasion of our southern border, and economic bankruptcy?

The thing wrong with your post, is your advocacy of the tyranny of the majority. Your concept that people must be ruled by government. Let me quote something important which seems lost on you.

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ? That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, ? That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

 

[Craig234]

We have many such groups now - they include the media, which often does investigative reporting; reform and citizen advocacy groups such as "People for the American Way" or "Common Cause"; and groups like the ACLU which are instrumental in helping to correct errors by the government that deny justice to citizens. I'm unclear what you're advocating beyond these groups.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

Despite the media biases and such that many, including myself, disagree with, the many competing media groups in this country do a pretty darn good job of keeping rampant corruption in check. This is relative compared to countries that dont have the press freedoms that we do.

 

[manowar821]

Originally posted by: brandonb

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: broon
How about the catholic church?

Nice! :laugh:

Actually the church used to hold this place in society for centuries, but society has gone faithless. It just doesn't hold any respect towards the church anymore. We are better off with the porn industry these days, or Paris Hilton. Or did I just say the same thing?

We are screwed.

Uhh... Was that sarcasm...?

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Originally posted by: broon

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: broon
How about the catholic church?

You jest. But the system worked in Europe in its own twisted, cruel way.

Sure it did. "Witch" burning, crusades, Northern Ireland, need I say more?

Excuse me but didn't the overwhelming majority of the witch burnings and trials take part in the US and wasn't it GW who said he invaded Iraq because God told him to do it?

BUt you are right about the crusades and the IRA, there are others separatists movements who are mostly christian too in Spain and in a whole heap of villages and cities as well as countries in the USA.

Islam, Hindu (LTTE commited more terrorist acts than ANY other organisation prior to the US invasion of Iraq), Christian... It doesn't really matter.

Palehorse said it in another thread, it's about religious fundamentalism, i'd like to expand that to ideological fundamentalism as of the kind we see in China, NK, Burma, Cuba and Belarus, sooner or later there will be people who are powerful to begin the transformation in each of those countries and we have to be supportive, we didn't do shit in Burma and that really really pisses me off.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

Despite the media biases and such that many, including myself, disagree with, the many competing media groups in this country do a pretty darn good job of keeping rampant corruption in check. This is relative compared to countries that dont have the press freedoms that we do.

Aren't you the guy who claimed that Obama was Muslim and then left, i always wondered if that was sarcasm?

 

[Skitzer]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

Despite the media biases and such that many, including myself, disagree with, the many competing media groups in this country do a pretty darn good job of keeping rampant corruption in check. This is relative compared to countries that dont have the press freedoms that we do.

I won't deny that some rampant corruption is exposed by the media but how much is suppressed or hidden?
I'm of the opinion that in many cases the media does more harm than good and I have never trusted much of what has been printed or spoken by them.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

Which brings us back the point of it becoming corrupted. Which it clearly has.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton

Originally posted by: palehorse74
so wait, in response to having a government that has grown large and corrupt, your suggestion is that we create... a larger government!?

no thank you.

We already have a mechanism in place that is there to check the Federal Government's power -- the people.

imagine that.

The idea of "checking the government's power" is a non sequitor. We ARE the government, and the government is us. I'm proud of my giant bulwark against foreign and domestic threats, from the Taliban to our own extremist nutcases. More power? 50 years ago southern states were vehemently defending segregation just like 150 years ago they defended slavery. Now we have things like TX governor Rick Perry wanting to teach creationism in the college system.
The federal government has proven effective at protecting us, the people, from our state governments. Enough with the anti-government rhetoric.

So who protects us from the feds?

 

[Mxylplyx]

Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

Despite the media biases and such that many, including myself, disagree with, the many competing media groups in this country do a pretty darn good job of keeping rampant corruption in check. This is relative compared to countries that dont have the press freedoms that we do.

Aren't you the guy who claimed that Obama was Muslim and then left, i always wondered if that was sarcasm?

No idea what your talking about. Search is your friend.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: Braznor

Originally posted by: broon
How about the catholic church?

You jest. But the system worked in Europe in its own twisted, cruel way.

Yeah, I heard the Inquisition was a real gas. Torquemada was quite the party animal.

 

[SexyK]

We already have three centers of power. The legislature, the judiciary, and the executive. Your vote controls 2 of the 3 branches directly, so if you don't like what they're doing, throw them out.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
It's called the media.

ROTFLMAO! I don't care who you are ....... that's funny right there :laugh:

Despite the media biases and such that many, including myself, disagree with, the many competing media groups in this country do a pretty darn good job of keeping rampant corruption in check. This is relative compared to countries that dont have the press freedoms that we do.

Aren't you the guy who claimed that Obama was Muslim and then left, i always wondered if that was sarcasm?

No idea what your talking about. Search is your friend.

yeah, i am not going to do that, it was just a question, i am fairly sure it was you though. If it mattered more i'd search for it.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

Originally posted by: SexyK
We already have three centers of power. The legislature, the judiciary, and the executive. Your vote controls 2 of the 3 branches directly, so if you don't like what they're doing, throw them out.

In reality there is one who tells the other two what bo do.

I think the US is shock full of ideologies but none of them are actually followed unless someone else does it.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: brandonb

Originally posted by: Robor

Originally posted by: broon
How about the catholic church?

Nice! :laugh:

Actually the church used to hold this place in society for centuries, but society has gone faithless. It just doesn't hold any respect towards the church anymore. We are better off with the porn industry these days, or Paris Hilton. Or did I just say the same thing?

We are screwed.

probably because the church it turned out became far more corrupt than government ever could.

 

[SexyK]

Originally posted by: JohnOfSheffield

Originally posted by: SexyK
We already have three centers of power. The legislature, the judiciary, and the executive. Your vote controls 2 of the 3 branches directly, so if you don't like what they're doing, throw them out.

In reality there is one who tells the other two what bo do.

I think the US is shock full of ideologies but none of them are actually followed unless someone else does it.

Which one would you argue is dominant?